New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-08
4 WHALE TAKEN IN The BAY.
FOUR BoATMEN DECLARE THEY KILLED IT.

A SUSPICION THAT 1T WAS DEAD BEFORE 1T WAS
DIsCOvERED-THE ANIMAL SENT APLoAr
The biggest catch of the season was made by Q
party OF bumboAtmen in the Bay yesterday morning
q short distance from Bedlow's Island. They ran
across a young fnnback whale In the hsrbor, which
was asleep sick unconscious dead and after their
first fright they succeeded in capturing the auimah
tying stout rope around his tail and towing him into
the slip. The party consisted OF " Pat" Noonan,
atom Cluny, John Londrigan and jack Riordan,
four Of the stoutest and best-known bumboatmcn on
the waterfront
IL was not o'clock and the sky Just rsddenins
with the sun when the party pulled OF tho Battery.
There was scarcely breeze and the surface OF the
bay smooth mill-pond. The boat carried
q quantity of Supplies and Is destination was tho
lower part of the Bay where they expected to dispose
OF some OF their articles to sailing vessel that was to
ave the port in the morning. When they reached
the atue of Liberty the light of her torch had been
extnguished and the side OF the leland was still ir
heavy shadow. Presently Cluny. who held the tiller,
called out:
xSay boys, theirs queer lookin' lump ahead. seen
him bob out of the water
The boatmen hold their oars and looked around. but
could nOthing. 1t was porpose or shark they
concluded, though Cluny said that it WAS too big tor
either and they pulled ahead again until another shut
from Cluny caused them to pull up short 1t was too
late to prevent collision and the boat UP with q
heavy bang anst solid substance When the oars
men looked about they could see by the increasing
times the length or their own boat. 1t took only 0
second for them to pull back safe distance, they
stterward said. Then they looked again and saw
that the object was lying motioness For several
minutes the men were too greatly surprised to make
out what the object was, but it remained quiet kior-
dan, the captain OF the boat after careful inyestgs
ton, announced that 1t was whale, apparently
asleep They determined to capture him Riordan
took tho bost-book tor a harpoou and Noonan pro-
approached within ten feet Of the floating body and
fred both charges OF the pistol into It without pro-
ducing any effect. This emboldened them so far that
niordan having first secured stout rope to the boat.
hook, stood firmly in the bow OF his boat while 1t was
rowed cautiously up to the side OF tho whale he
plunged the boathook With all his strength halfway
up the handle into the back of the monster and the
boat &C the same instant WAS pulled away.
From experience In such sport or from some other
reasona slight confusion ensIed. ,s he boat swung
vibrating rapidly. The boat rocked violently and
threatened TO oapsize.
Let 20 the rope" shouted Rordan
When they were lain at q sate distance another
shout informed them that Londrigan had been
knocked into the water where he was swimming 40
not 70 leave him. After Londr1gan was again in the
boat the men looked once moro alter the whale and
found to their satisfaction that the boat hook had I'm
ished him. He had turned over on one side showing
his white stomach with the boat-hook still sticking
into his back. The boatnen gave q cry OF triumph.
secured the end of the rope to their boat and pulled
up cautiously to the whale. Them having satisfied
themselves that 1t could do no more harm they pull Ell
back to the city with their prize
The DOatmeu placeC sentry on roai oako "or"o
the whale aud charged the long and others
who hocked down to the pier ten cents each to view
the whale Before o'clock their receipts amounted
to $40 and tho bunDoatmen had lunch aud grew
merry. Several dine museum men began to lid tor
the whale, wishing to take it down to Coney Island
for exhibition The whale measured over thirty fcet
in length One old whaer said that 1t had been dead
Tor two or three and that Rordans blow with the
boatbook turned the whale and knocked the man
out OF his own boat The bumooatmen became mad
and swore that they hal killed the whale. In the
dispute two OF them we're tumbled into the wafer At
the same time Dock Master Simpson came up With Q
tupboat pulled the whale out of the slip aud sent II
floating down the Bay where it surprised the pass
engers on the Coney Island and Staten Island boats
fleet OF boats were after the carcass last evening
to tow Ii down to Coney Island.
CAPTAIN Philip Dick, OF the Pulver, says that De
killed the whale. His tug passed 1t on wednesday
evening and he fred shots from his revolver
into it, Another theory that 1t is victim OF one OF
! the Anagansett whalers and had died snd hoated
into this harbor The Health Officer will go In search
of the carcass this morning and if he gets it will take
Ii to the offal dock.